The pet toy market is large and growing as pet owners seek creative ways to stimulate their pets and to provide tools for self entertainment, particularly when the pet is alone for extended periods of time. Within this category are toys which are intended to be bitten down upon to satisfy the natural craving of a dog, for example, to chew.
Chew toys are of many different varieties and types. Many of them are plush having a fabric or fur-like outer surface while being configured in the shape of an animal or food item and sized to be bitten down upon by a dog Many of these items come in various sizes recognizing size differences between breeds.
To add further interest, pet toys often contain internally embedded devices, such as sound modules, which provide sounds, oftentimes characteristic of the toy itself, and which are activated either by a simple switch or through movement or pressure For example, reference is made to FIG. 1 in which an animal is depicted having head 11, legs 12 and torso 13 This can be a plush toy and embedded within torso 13 is module 20 It is contemplated that a dog would self entertain by biting down upon torso 13 and shaking pet toy 10 in the process. This could activate sound module 20 to create an audible signal, most ideally being one that is characteristic of the nature and variety of pet toy 10.
The natural tendency of a dog in engaging with pet toy 10 is to bite down upon torso 13 and, upon recognizing a relatively hard object in the form of module 20, to bite further in an attempt to abrade pet toy 10 by continuously grasping and biting the pet toy at module 20. It is thus important in designing such toys to give great consideration to the shape and composition of module 20 to enable it to resist abrading and the destructive nature of a dog's bite while not being overly heavy. Considerations of weight and cost of production are important factors influencing the shape and composition of module 20.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a sound module for use as a pet toy which can resist the destructive nature of a dog's bite while minimizing the weight and cost of the module in doing so
These and further objects will be more readily apparent when considering the following disclosure and appended claims